I want to write to Lord Redesdale
Lord Redesdale: .... That is where I have real difficulty, because one issue with illicit antiquities is that we do not know their provenance, so if they have been taken from a site—or, in the case of Syria and Iraq, looted, even—the actual context of those objects has been destroyed. While the objects themselves might be considerable works of art and were probably created as such, that does not mean...
Lord Redesdale: ...forward because of the issues raised by the actions of Daesh in Syria, in the same way that the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Bill was brought forward in 2003 to deal with the problems in Iraq, especially with the museum in Baghdad. However, the real reason behind it is that there are two elements to what Daesh is trying to do. First, it is trying to destroy cultural identity...
Lord Redesdale: .... The MoD and RAF have made a great effort to do as little damage as possible. We had great discussions during the Gulf War about targeting solutions and making sure that we did not drop bombs on Iraq’s heritage, because it was a war against not the people of Iraq but its regime. There has been recent targeted bombing of Libyan government forces, ensuring that their military assets were...
Lord Redesdale: ...) Act—it started as a Private Member's Bill in another place—its purpose was to deal with the flood of objects coming in from Mesopotamia and the illegal excavations that took place after the Iraq war. We have the same problem in this country and in Europe, with a large number of objects being taken from the ground. Other countries within Europe have dealt with this issue and I hope...
Lord Redesdale: ...repeal the rulings against pit bull terriers. I am not a fan of pit bull terriers and do not believe that they have any place as pets. I remember speaking, as defence spokesman, against the war in Iraq and being called an apologist for Saddam Hussein. I am not supporting pit bull terriers, but the problem is that we have focused on a type of dog that is almost impossible to specify. The...
Lord Redesdale: ...constables plus four full-time staff will be able to deal with the money laundering activities of those who use art for money laundering, and especially those who are importing artefacts from Iraq that have been looted and are being sold on the British market?
Lord Redesdale: ...trailers this evening. I would rather deal with the social and economic consequences referred to in the title of this debate. The success of the occupation is linked to the welfare of the people of Iraq. That will be the yardstick against which history will judge us. It would be wrong not to start by praising the professionalism of our troops operating in the south and their achievements...
Lord Redesdale: My Lords, considering the increase in British forces in Iraq, how many reservists are being called upon to act in Iraq? Future Use of the UK's Reserve Forces, which was published today, says that the role of the reserves will be: "To augment the Regular Forces for enduring operations". It also says: "Whenever possible, mobilisation will be on a voluntary basis but compulsion may be used if...
Lord Redesdale: ...I could not add benefit to that point. Will a Minister visit the combat stress unit, which deals with post-traumatic stress disorder? If those who are wounded seem to be the forgotten victims of Iraq, those who suffer from the mental anxiety of post-combat stress disorder are often completely neglected.
Lord Redesdale: ...Middle East, where we seem to be mired in a situation from which we will not be able to escape for some time, is a real issue and is one of the reasons why we were so heavily opposed to the war in Iraq in the first place. We talk about an election as being a panacea that will allow the American and British forces to withdraw with a stable Iraq in the background, but I do not believe that...
Lord Redesdale: ...Army has so many difficulties with recruiting and retention, which is the major cause and result of overstretch. The Statement mentions the issue of families. The sight of soldiers returning from Iraq—particularly the Black Watch—has brought home to us all the pressure that Army families are under at the moment. Obviously in the larger regiments it will be individuals moving around...
Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the light of references in the Iraq Survey Group report to two vehicles found in Iraq suspected of being involved in the production of weapons of mass destruction, what were the components of British manufacture and the companies that produced them.
Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps are being taken to protect police and army recruits in Iraq against repeated violent attacks.
Lord Redesdale: My Lords, I am sure that the thoughts of noble Lords on all sides of the House will be with those who lost loved ones in the recent terrorist attack on the Iraqi National Army and the continued assaults on the new Iraqi police force. What steps are being taken to upgrade the training and equipment provision for the army and police force? It would seem that up until now this has not been a...
Lord Redesdale: ...the House. We have a number of questions and they are rightly centred on the safety of our troops. Looking at the figures, it is striking to note that the American army has more soldiers based in Iraq than there are in the entire British Army. Therefore the proportion of troops we will be sending will have a greater effect on our capacity to reinforce our own troops than that of the...
Lord Redesdale: My Lords, does the Treasury see the present operation in Iraq as a medium-term commitment? If so, will all the money that is needed for that operation be drawn from within the MoD budget, so that the MoD will not go to the Treasury for further funds, or will the MoD have to go to the Treasury to fund the operation in Iraq?
Lord Redesdale: My Lords, the Minister said that our policy was to get the British troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible. After the handover of power, I thought that that was the Government's policy, too.
Lord Redesdale: ...which have left would not really be fulfilled. Can the Minister say whether negotiations have been undertaken with the Americans to consider replacing Spanish forces who are leaving or have left Iraq? That would significantly change the area in which British forces have operated before and, I believe, would change the strategic nature of the operation that we were undertaking. If we were...
Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they expect the Iraq Survey Group to have completed its work by 30 June 2004.
Lord Redesdale: My Lords, could the Minister expand on what he means by "all reasonable avenues" have been explored? It appears that the Iraq Survey Group is not fulfilling any meaningful function. Will he also explain whether the Government now believe that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and say whether they will publish all the findings that have so far come out since the resignation of...